Properly Licensed Software Contributes Three Times More to National Economies than Pirated Software, New BSA Study Finds May 21, 2013 12:30AM

WASHINGTON, May 21, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new study from BSA | The Software Alliance and INSEAD, one of the world's leading business schools, finds that increasing the amount of properly licensed software in use globally by 1 percent would add an estimated $73 billion to the world economy, compared to $20 billion from pirated software — meaning there is a $53 billion advantage associated with using licensed software. The study also finds the greatest potential for economic gains are in emerging markets where piracy is most common today. 

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130521/DC17615-INFO)

Competitive Advantage: The Economic Impact of Properly Licensed Software is a groundbreaking analysis that draws on data from 95 countries to demonstrate the benefits to national economies of using fully licensed software. The study confirms that increasing use of licensed software corresponds to substantial positive gains in gross domestic product (GDP), and that the economic stimulus effect of properly licensed software is significantly greater than that of pirated software.  

"Properly licensed software comes with value-added services that improve operational efficiency for businesses and boost output for entire economies," said Jodie Kelley, General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Anti-Piracy for BSA. "For governments looking at ways to stimulate growth, this analysis shows that properly licensed software offers a huge return on investment."

The study finds that every country around the world can derive greater economic value from properly licensed software than from pirated software. The gains from a 1 percent increase in licensed software use exceed the impact of a similar increase in pirated software use by a wide margin — ranging from $15.1 billion in additional economic value in the US to $5.9 billion in Japan to $739 million in India.

On a dollar-for-dollar basis, the return on investment (ROI) for national economies from properly licensed software is greatest in developing countries — $437 in extra GDP, on average, compared to $35 for every dollar's worth of pirated software put into the market. But countries across all income levels benefit: each additional dollar invested in licensed software has an average ROI of $117 in high-income countries compared to $42 from pirated software, and $140 in middle-income countries compared to $28 from pirated software.

"Previous studies have shown that value-added services delivered with properly licensed software help firms to reduce costs and increase investment. This report goes one step further to ascertain the impact of software use on national production," said Eduardo Rodriguez-Montemayor, senior research fellow at INSEAD eLab. "The results make it clear that licensed software is beneficial for business and national economies — and that licensed software has a greater economic impact than pirated software across all countries included in the study."

Governments and enterprises wanting to embrace the economic opportunity presented by licensed software use should take action in the following areas:

  • Establish strong and modern IP laws that protect software and other copyrighted materials on PCs, mobile devices, and in the cloud.
  • Step up IPR enforcement with dedicated resources.
  • Raise public awareness about the risks of software piracy. 
  • Lead by example by using only fully licensed software and implementing software asset management programs.

A full copy of the study: Competitive Advantage: The Economic Impact of Properly Licensed Software is available for download on BSA's website: www.bsa.org/softwarevalue.

About BSA

BSA | The Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the leading global advocate for the software industry. It is an association of world-class companies that invest billions of dollars annually to create software solutions that spark the economy and improve modern life. Through international government relations, intellectual property enforcement and educational activities, BSA expands the horizons of the digital world and builds trust and confidence in the new technologies driving it forward.

For information on how BSA | The Software Alliance appears in print, click here.

BSA on TwitterBSA on FacebookBSA on YouTube

About INSEAD eLab

As one of the world's leading and largest graduate business schools, INSEAD brings together people, cultures and ideas from around the world to change lives and transform organizations. eLab is INSEAD's center of excellence in the global knowledge economy. A key objective of INSEAD eLab is to strengthen links across academia, business leaders and policymakers by: drawing on a variety of global resources to develop research insights that are academically rigorous and relevant to private and public sector leaders.

Information on INSEAD eLab, including other research reports, can be found at insead.edu/elab.

SOURCE BSA | The Software Alliance


Bretford Hosts All-New Webinar on High School Communities and the Learning Commons on May 22 May 21, 2013 12:26AM

Led By Tim Springer, HERO Inc. with Panel Input From Experts at Kokomo-Center Schools, Glenbrook North High School and Gibraltar Design

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bretford Manufacturing, Inc.®, a United States manufacturer of dependable furniture products that improve how people work and learn, is continuing its popular webinar program focused on agile learning with a brand new session, “High School Communities and Learning Commons,” taking place on Wednesday, May 22 at 2:00 p.m. E.T. The online event will be led by Tim Springer, founder of HERO, Inc. with input from an expert panel that includes Dr. Jeff Hauswald, superintendent of Kokomo-Center Schools, Ryan Bretag, coordinator of Instruction Technology at Glenbrook North High School, and James B. Thompson, president and Rick Adcock, educational consultant, both at Gibraltar Design.

According to Cindy Weinschreider, director of marketing communications for Bretford Manufacturing, Inc., “Thanks to the adoption of smart devices, learning can now take place far outside the classroom environment. While this is already happening at the higher education level, some high schools have also begun to embrace these changes by creating a social, dynamic learning commons that is powered, integrated and comfortable. This type of space allows learning and collaboration to continue and for the students to stay connected.” She continued, “Our panel for this webinar will share examples of how they are using the learning commons to enhance the educational environment at the high school level.”

“High School Communities and Learning Commons” focuses on how high schools across the country are addressing the needs of both their students and their communities by adopting new approaches to learning and learning spaces. This webinar will explore ways in which high schools are applying learning commons models, how effective application of agile space design affects learning in non-classroom settings and examples of budget-conscious implementations. Webinar attendees will walk away able to recognize the elements of a successful learning commons and a solid understanding of how high schools are redefining learning space to support and extend beyond the classroom.

“The Bretford live webinars allow the opportunity to hear from and ask questions of thought leaders and practitioners,” said Tim Springer, founder of HERO, Inc. “We’ve recruited expert panelists who are leading change in learning spaces and can share real world experiences. That’s something we can all learn from.”

For complete bios on speakers Tim Springer, Jeff Hauswald, Ryan Bretag, James Thompson or Rick Adcock, click here.

About the Bretford Learning Commons

The webinars are part of Learning Commons, a section on the Bretford.com website that contains a compilation of education resources and expertise for customers and partners. Learning Commons is divided into five key areas to help customers and partners easily navigate their way around:

  • Resources: Incorporates research data, articles, interactive white papers, book references and videos.
  • Community: Features a research project examining how agile learning spaces and mobile technology affect teaching and learning.
  • Professional Development: Includes BretfordU online and live webinars and other events, along with Continuing Education Unit courses for architects and designers.
  • Referrals. Houses all case studies, references and testimonials.
  • Experts: Bios and contact information for the experts contributing to the BretfordU webinars, blog topics, research and other sections.

For more information about Bretford visit Bretford.com or call 1-800-521-9614. Bretford can also be followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bretfordmanf.

TLS Communications, Inc.Traci Schaefer, 630-269-4567

Source: Bretford Manufacturing, Inc.


Petroleum Development Oman and GlassPoint Commission the Middle East’s First Solar EOR Project May 21, 2013 12:23AM

Enclosed Trough system uses the sun’s energy to produce steam for thermal EOR; exceeded contracted performance by 10 percent in first test

MUSCAT, Oman--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), the largest producer of oil and gas in Oman, and GlassPoint Solar, the global leader in solar enhanced oil recovery, today announced the successful commissioning of the Middle East’s first solar enhanced oil recovery (EOR) project. By harnessing the sun’s energy with GlassPoint’s Enclosed Trough technology, the solar EOR project produces a daily average of 50 tons of emissions-free steam that feeds directly into existing thermal EOR operations at PDO’s Amal West field in Southern Oman. The 7MW system is in regular operation and recently passed its first performance acceptance test since coming online, exceeding contracted steam output by 10 percent.

GlassPoint's Enclosed Trough technology harnesses energy from the sun, to produce emissions-free steam for Petroleum Development Oman's (PDO) thermal EOR operations at its Amal West field in Southern Oman. (Photo: Business Wire)

“PDO has successfully extended the life of its heavy oil assets by deploying innovative EOR technologies over the past few decades,” said Raoul Restucci, Managing Director of PDO. “The GlassPoint system is proving it can reliably fuel thermal EOR with solar power while reducing the need to burn natural gas. This solar EOR solution provides for an economically viable and environmentally sustainable long term resource to develop Oman’s heavy oil portfolio, while saving valuable natural gas resources for use in other gas-dependent industries.”

Today, EOR applications account for a significant portion of Oman’s annual natural gas consumption. By incorporating solar steam, PDO can significantly reduce the amount of natural gas it burns to produce steam for EOR. GlassPoint’s solution can cut natural gas used for EOR by up to 80 percent, helping Oman release its natural gas resources for higher value applications such as power generation, desalination, industrial development or export as LNG.

“PDO is widely recognized as the EOR pioneer throughout the Middle East,” said Rod MacGregor, GlassPoint CEO. “Deploying the region’s first solar EOR project further underscores its leadership and commitment to advancing new technologies that will economically expand production of existing reserves.”

“Preliminary results from this project demonstrate that solar steam generated with GlassPoint’s Enclosed Trough architecture is equally effective as natural gas for thermal EOR,” said Dr. Syham Bentouati, Head of New Technology Implementation at PDO. “This unit serves as a performance and operational baseline for future solar steam generation projects in Oman, providing us with valuable information for planning potential future large-scale solar steam projects.”

GlassPoint’s unique Enclosed Trough design encloses parabolic mirrors inside a glasshouse structure, protecting the solar collectors from harsh conditions of high wind, dust, dirt, sand and humidity common to Middle East oilfields. The glasshouse enclosure enables the use of ultra-light, low-cost reflective materials and proven automated washing equipment, further reducing costs. GlassPoint steam generators are designed to use the same low-quality boiler water as once-through steam generators, the industry’s current standard, eliminating the need for costly water pretreatment.

“GlassPoint is committed to generating in-country value by partnering with local contractors and manufacturers,” added MacGregor. “More than 40 percent of the solar installation was fabricated and constructed with the help of Omani companies, and we plan to increase the percentage of local content significantly as we grow throughout the country and region.”

Construction on the project began in January 2012 and finished in December 2012. The project was completed on time, on budget and with no Lost Time Injuries in accordance with GlassPoint and PDO’s shared commitment to sound engineering execution and health, safety, security and environment leadership. The Amal project is 27 times larger than GlassPoint’s solar EOR system, installed at Berry Petroleum’s 21Z oilfield in Kern County, California, USA, which has been in daily operation for two years. For a video of the project, visit http://www.glasspoint.com/solar-eor-projects/petroleum-development-oman/.

About GlassPoint Solar

GlassPoint is the leading provider of solar steam generators to the oil and gas industry. When used for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), GlassPoint solar steam generators reduce natural gas consumption by up to 80%, redirecting gas resources to higher value applications such as electricity generation and export. GlassPoint's solar EOR solution delivers steam at costs competitive with gas-fired steam generation, enabling producers to economically recover more oil. GlassPoint drives lower costs by enclosing lightweight components within a glasshouse to seal the system from sand, dust, dirt and high humidity typical of oilfield environments throughout the world. The company is headquartered in Fremont, California with offices in Bakersfield, California, Muscat, Oman and Shenzhen, China. For more information, visit GlassPoint.com.

About Petroleum Development Oman

Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is the major exploration and production company in the Sultanate. It accounts for more than 70% of the country's crude-oil production and nearly all of its natural-gas supply. The Company is owned by the Government of Oman (which has a 60% interest), the Shell Group (which has a 34% interest), Total (which has a 4% interest) and Partex (which has a 2% interest). Gas fields and processing plants are operated by PDO exclusively on behalf of the Government.

Antenna Group for GlassPointKatie Struble, 415-977-1928glasspoint@antennagroup.comorfor GlassPointJohn Rynehart, +971 4 369 3546antenna@fourcommunications.comorMedia Relations Advisor for PDOMaryam al Maskary, 2467-5778Maryam.mm.maskari@pdo.co.om

Source: GlassPoint Solar


AT&T Statement on Response to Oklahoma Tornado May 21, 2013 12:22AM

OKLAHOMA CITY, May 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- "Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the tornado that hit the Oklahoma City area Monday. We are coordinating with local authorities and bringing in additional resources. We recommend text messaging for communications with family, friends and loved ones given heavy call volumes.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120612/DA23287LOGO)

"Also, in an effort to help Oklahomans impacted by the tragic tornado, we are waiving voice, data and text overage charges through June 30 for customers in the affected areas.

"AT&T also reminds customers who want to support the Red Cross' efforts that they can text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10. The donation will be charged on their monthly AT&T bill."

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's largest 4G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T │DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.  This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

© 2013 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.


Truphone First to Offer Shared International Mobile Plans for Business May 21, 2013 12:01AM

LAS VEGAS, May 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Truphone today became the first mobile operator to offer shared international mobile service plans for data, text and voice.  The plans allow businesses with employees based abroad and with employees traveling internationally to share local minutes, messages and megabytes from a single bundle when in the 'Truphone Zone.'

Business customers will enjoy shared mobile usage at home in the USA and feel at home in Australia, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Additionally, businesses receive wider benefits from Truphone's unique approach to international telecommunications, including better call quality, a single voice and SMS mailbox, all combined with a superior mobile data experience, and a single bill to manage users across territories.

Shared international pricing plans are a new innovation in the telecommunications marketplace made possible by Truphone's unique global GSM network architecture. This network effectively eliminates the barriers of cost and complexity that prevent people from communicating internationally with the same attitude and effectiveness as they do in their home territory.

The problem this innovation solves is real and acute: according to research from CCMI, forty percent of large enterprises either require their employees to curtail their voice and data usage while traveling or forbid it altogether due to the extraordinarily high costs of international roaming.

"When business people are on the road, they need to stay connected. And it shouldn't matter whether you're in Los Angeles or London – you just need to make the call, send the file – get things done, and done quickly. These road warriors are powering the US economy, and it's up to network providers to help them make it happen," said Pascal de Hesselle, vice president, marketing at Truphone. "Truphone's international shared plans keep business people productive, affordably connecting them with their colleagues and customers around the world.  We're proud of this industry first." 

Truphone also provides business customers with local numbers in multiple countries on a single SIM or device, so contacts can always get in touch on a number that's familiar to them. And if the user is anywhere in the 'Truphone Zone,' the calls are local calls.  These additional numbers are always on, and always routed automatically – so users have a consistent and unified calling experience.   

Germany, Poland and Spain will be added to the 'Truphone Zone' later this year.

Truphone will be exhibiting and sharing information during CTIA in booth 3918 and at the Mobile Focus media event on May 21st, at the Mirage Hotel.  For more information on Truphone, especially the new Shared and Regional Plans, please visit www.truphone.com.

ABOUT TRUPHONE Truphone is the only mobile operator in the world that expands the reach of businesses beyond the borders of their home country. Truphone achieves this by providing multiple international numbers on a single SIM, enabling businesses to make international calls that are treated as local calls and providing contacts a direct way to get in touch on a local number. Truphone's approach also eliminates or reduces mobile roaming costs for voice and data services, keeping staff better connected when they travel.  The company's patented SIM-based offering works in more than 200 countries.  Headquartered out of London, Truphone has offices across 4 continents and continues to expand aggressively with backing from investment companies such as Minden, Vollin Holdings and Eden Ventures. Our clients include Fortune 50 and FTSE 1000 companies across multiple sectors.

 

SOURCE Truphone


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